More and more people are taking to using their bread machines for dough kneading machines and then shaping and baking their bread in their ovens. Why? Simple, the bread baked in your oven is much different than that baked in the bread machine. If you don’t believe me try making the same recipe twice one on the dough cycle, shape, rise and then bake in the oven and the other from start to finish in your bread machine. Allow both loaves to cool and then taste them. While they will both taste the same, the texture, size and crust of the oven baked loaf will be very different from the loaf done in the bread machine. Why? I am not sure. But, this is why more and more people make their dough in the bread machine and then bake in the oven.

Baking bread in your oven isn’t really that hard or time consuming. The steps are as follow.

Make your dough in the bread machine on the dough cycle.

When the machine beeps indicating the dough is finished, remove the pan from the machine and the dough from the pan and place on a floured work surface.

Punch the dough down dusting with flour if need be to keep it from sticking to your hands, it is important that you get all of the air out the dough, if it isn’t completely deflated you could end up with large ugly air pockets in your finished loaf.

Once the dough has been deflated, pat it out in to a rectangle that is as wide as your bread pan and 3 times as long. Brush the surface with a bit of water or wet your hand and rub it around on the dough to moisten it.

Roll the dough up jelly roll style so that you have a log as wide as your bread pan.

Now turn the log over and seal the seam, then do the same to the ends.

Finally tuck the ends of the log under and place the log of dough in the lightly greased bread pan seams down.NOTE: For a 1-1/2 pound recipe you want a 12-inch long loaf pan. You can get these from most department stores and even some large grocery stores. Or, you can order them here:

Using a sharp knife cut a slit in the top of the loaf about 1/2 inch down. The slit should go from end to end leaving about 1 inch uncut on each end.

Now you using a damp (not wet, but not too dry) light weight towel cover the pan of dough and place in a warm draft free place to rise. An oven with the bulb on works well or if you have an electric griddle that can be turned down to 100 degrees you can place a towel on it and then pan of dough on that and use the griddle as a proofing box. I do this myself as it ensures the dough is kept warm and this helps it rise faster.

Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours depending on how warm it is.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and then place you risen loaf of bread in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. If you want to make absolutely sure that your bread is done use an instant read thermometer to check the interior of the loaf. If it between 190 and 200 degrees it is done. Generally, by the time the 30 to 40 minutes is up the bread is done.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then gently remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack to cool. It is important that the bread be removed from the pan after the 10 times and that is placed on a cooling rack to cool otherwise the escaping steam make the crust soggy.

After a minimum of 30 minutes of cooling you can slice the bread. However, it is best to let the bread cool completely.

See storing and Freezing Bread for information on storing your loaf of bread.

Important Reminders:

Any loaf bread recipe can be done on the dough cycle and baked in the oven.

Always let the dough rise until doubled. Anything less will give you a dense loaf of bread.

Always remove hot bread from the pan after the 10 minute rest.

Always cool your bread on a cooling rack.

Never store your bread away warm. It will sweat and cause mildew.

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Thank you so very much for all the tips. I was thinking of buying a more expensive machine (like the Zo) because I find the breads done in my bread machine (Cuisinart) always come out somewhat dense in texture. So I have used the conv. oven more and more for the baking part. After reading your article, I have decided that a new machine would not do the trick.
I have baked, if I may say so myself, some wonderful loaves, with the Cuisinart for the dough only. I find it works very well and does not take that much time.
Thanks again, Mimi

Myriam MoistJune 2nd, 2008 at 2:52 pm

I made my first loaf of white bread last night in my bread machine and found the loaf of bread to be very salty. Can I cut it back alittle or will that effect the loaf of bread’s rising etc.

Karem MannJuly 24th, 2008 at 2:12 pm

So, can I use any old bread recipe in my bread machine as long as I bake it in my oven?

AshleyJune 27th, 2010 at 2:58 pm

Thanks! I fell in love with my bread maker again. I hated how the loaves came out. Honestly, never thought about running dough cycle and completing in oven. You showed me the way and I truly appreciated it. My first loaf came out amazing!

LisaNovember 14th, 2011 at 3:26 am

I recently bought an inexpensive but well rated (by Amazon buyers) bread machine and have been using it almost exclusively for making dough for French/Italian bread, bagels, English Muffins and pretzels. Two weeks ago, I found a different machine rated with four stars, for only $45. Having so much fun and success, I bought this as a back up. For $100 bucks, I have two dough makers that will also turn out bread 🙂

Kieran SaighirDecember 29th, 2011 at 12:41 pm

Do you know why you would need to punch the air out after the bread machine dough, because if you do the ful cycle in the machine then there is no punching and then no air pockets, so I would have thought the dough does not have any air to punch out? Just wondering because I am trying it now but didn’t think I need to punch any air out, was going to put it straight in the oven after a bit of rising. Thanks

LaurenceNovember 5th, 2012 at 12:58 pm

I only have 9″ x 5″ bread pands

Can I make a two pound loaf and halve it and knead it into two loaves for 9″ x 5″ bread pans?

Thanks

LynnFebruary 5th, 2013 at 10:02 am

Don’t have a thermometer, shake the pan, when it “rattles” it’s done. This only works for yeast doughs that haven’t risen too much and overflowed and stuck to pan edges. Start checking at the 30 minute mark for loaves. Never had a fail with this technique. Hope this is helpful.

Cooking grannyJanuary 30th, 2014 at 5:36 pm

Thank you so much for this information. I have been looking all over the internet for simple instructions to use my bread machine for dough and then cooking in the oven. I appreciate your simple instructions and the final reminders. I am going to try your technic!! wish me luck!
God bless ya.

Cammie HJune 20th, 2014 at 9:37 am

In a bread machine the mix is kneaded and then raised. The machine clicks off during the raising. After it raises the first time it reaches the dough setting. The machine then clicks back on and mixed it again for a short while which effectively “punches” the dough down then raises it and bakes it. So to use the machine just to make the dough you need to punch it down and form the loaves and let them raise before you bake in an oven. When you take it out of the bread machine you are deleting the final punch, raise and bake which you therefore have to do.

Kathleen FieldsAugust 9th, 2014 at 6:22 am

I always make my bread dough in the bread machine but bake it in the oven. It turns out really good. The only problem is that the loaf is not big enough. I’d like to get the 12 inch long loaf pan. I’ve tried to find it on the internet but can’t seem to find one. It says you can order one here. Can you tell me what the site is so I can order one? Please email me as soon as possible at ld112200@yahoo.com.

Thanks,

Linda

Linda DelcampAugust 16th, 2014 at 2:52 pm

I have been using my bread machines to knead my bread for several years and then I put it into the oven for the second rise. Then it is baked. On a few occasions the bread rose beautifully and the inside looked like a store bought loaf. It was so soft and fluffy and was absolutely delicious. When it came out like that it never lasted more than 2 days. However the vast majority of the time while baking , the top of the loaf falls in drastically and once baked looks like a messy brick. It is still very good tasting but looks like a real mess.

Can anyone tell me what to do to prevent the loaf from falling in on itself.